"As a special witness of Jesus Christ, I testify that He lives! I also testify that the veil of death is very thin," then-Elder Russell M. Nelson testified in 1992 April general conference. He continued:
"I know by experiences too sacred to relate that those who have gone before are not strangers to leaders of this Church. To us and to you, our loved ones may be just as close as the next room—separated only by the doors of death. "With that assurance, brothers and sisters, love life! Cherish each moment as a blessing from God (see Mosiah 2:21). Live it well—even to your loftiest potential. Then the anticipation of death shall not hold you hostage" (“Doors of Death,” Ensign, May 1992).
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President Nelson has often testified powerfully and movingly about death, the veil, and our loved ones in the spirit world. Recently, he posted a touching message on Facebook about his deceased wife, Dantzel, and about his daughters who passed away from cancer:
"Yes, life can be overwhelming at times. My wife Dantzel died suddenly when her heart stopped beating. All my knowledge as a heart surgeon could not save her. Cancer has claimed the lives of two of our daughters. I understand the heartbreak of separation from loved ones. "But Jesus is the Light that shines in the dark. He is 'the way, the truth, and the life.' He is our anchor when we are desperately in need. "We do not have to go through this life alone. Jesus Christ atoned to help us find the covenant path that leads back home. He can give us the strength and courage to walk confidently on that path."
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We are blessed to have a prophet who seeks revelation and who can guide us as we, too, deal with aching questions and loved ones lost.
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Get more in-depth insights from President Nelson in The Gateway We Call Death.
“Our ultimate and highest destiny is to return to our heavenly home. When that times comes, it can be as momentous as the time of birth. Birth is the gateway to mortal life; death is the gateway to immortality and eternal life.”
InThe Gateway We Call Death, President Nelson, a surgeon by profession and now a special witness of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, approaches the subject of death from both a medical and a theological point of view to discuss such topics as these: The purpose of life and of death; the purpose of mourning; when death comes without warning; factors of choice, such as suicide, euthanasia, and use of mechanical means to extend life; and life after death.
“As I have come to comprehend more about life in all of its phases,” President Nelson writes, “I no longer feel that death is always that foe to be feared. Instead, I view it as a potential friend to be understood.”